With all the doom and gloom of recession and winter it can be easy to get bogged down with negativity. But it’s important to remember that there is heaps of cool stuff happening in 2012. Having something to look forward to and planning for the future help us to stay positive.

With this in mind the team here at ReachOut.com have given their positive predictions for 2012 and shared what they’re most looking forward to.

Elaine: CEO

I’m looking forward to the Euro Championships 2012 which start in June. I was in Italy for the World Cup Finals in ’90 and USA ’94, so I know what an uplifting experience this is for the whole country – whether you travel or stay at home and soak it all up. This year, more than ever, an event like Euro 2012 will be embraced by everyone in Ireland – even if you don’t like the sport or understand the offside rule (!). If the Irish team only survive the group stages – it’ll still give everyone a lift. On another positive note the Irish ‘summer’ weather won’t make any difference as the championships are in the Ukraine and Poland! Bring it !

Roisin: Communications Officer

I can’t wait for summer! I am totally solar powered, so sunshine makes me happy. The nights are only going to get shorter from here on in and I’m really looking forward to spending some long summer evenings catching up with friends.

Not wishing the winter away too quickly I am super exited about (hopefully) seeing the northern lights in coming weeks. I have always wanted to see them and apparently this year will be Ireland’s best chance in over a decade. I have some friends in Donegal, they don’t know it yet, but I will be crashing their pad to check out this spectacular phenomena.

Naoise: Online Communications Manager

At the risk of sounding very nerdy, a term we battle with here in the office, I’m really looking forward to some of the up-coming projects for ReachOut.com. I know vomit, right? Particularly because I can’t say much more about them at this stage.

But 2012 is set to bring a few other cool things that I’m quite excited about for example: Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit (was my favourite book out of all of them – not really getting away from the nerdiness there, am I?), apparently fashion is going to get very 1920s because of The Great Gatsby, which I love, I will see puffins this year (yes the birds, it’s a mission), 2012 is easier to type than 2011 for some reason and the world’s not going to end.

Nigel: Community Engagement Intern.

199 days to go until the London 2012 Olympic Games and I can’t wait to go! Irish athletes are in a brilliant position to succeed with the likes of Katie Taylor, Derval O’ Rourke and Gráinne Murphy (to name a few) all competing for medals in boxing, athletics and swimming respectively. It’s sure to be a spectacular highlight for me for the year ahead and offers us all the chance to witness some fantastic sports being played at the highest level. Let’s not forget that the Olympic Torch is set to travel to Dublin in June, its only detour outside of the UK!

Fenella: Research and Evaluation Officer

In the summer of 2012 a group of friends and I plan to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world. At nearly 6,000 meters high the climb is not only physically but also mentally demanding. It’s a challenge we’re accepting though and very much looking forward to. We’re also hoping to raise funds for ReachOut.com while we’re at it. So fingers crossed later this year you’ll see a picture of ReachOut.com t-shirt wearing climbers on top of the world!

Vince: Community Engagement Manager

As Dublin is the self-proclaimed City of Science in 2012, my prediction for next year has to be a science one. At the end of last year scientists apparently observed subatomic particles breaking the cosmic speed limit and travelling faster than the speed of light. If proven correct this would mean a revision of our current scientific knowledge as we know it….but there is a long way to go before then. I predict that they will find out that the observation is true. This will show us yet again that we always need to remain open minded and never to make assumptions….like a true scientist!